cable's length

American  

Or cable length

noun

1. a nautical unit of length equivalent to 720 feet (219 meters) in the U.S. Navy and 608 feet (185 meters) in the British Navy.

---

Etymology

Origin of cable's length

First recorded in 1545–55

Example Sentences

A cable's length on the port beam the Carse o' Gowrie was backing gently astern in order to close with her consort.

From With Beatty off Jutland A Romance of the Great Sea Fight by Westerman, Percy F. (Percy Francis)

Why, she's not a cable's length from where you are.

From Submarine U93 by Gilson, Charles

Arriving at about a cable's length from the ship they stopped, and demanded their money.

From The Log of a Sea-Waif Being Recollections of the First Four Years of My Sea Life by Bullen, Frank T.

Our westward course was now resumed, the two vessels keeping their stations with commendable precision, the Golden Hope leading at about a cable's length from the Neptune's larboard bow.

From The Quest of the 'Golden Hope' A Seventeenth Century Story of Adventure by Westerman, Percy F. (Percy Francis)

Here, lying about a cable's length off, was a submarine of the "E" type.

From The Fight for Constantinople A Story of the Gallipoli Peninsula by Westerman, Percy F. (Percy Francis)